In the Hands of Fate
by Snowdra
Summary: After being shot, Richie & Tessa are rushed to the hospital, there a new immortal is born, and someone is already looking for their head. Can Duncan save them in time and will he be able to heal a broken heart? A different twist on season 2's The Darkness
1. The Death of Richie Ryan

**In the Hands of Fate**

**Author's Note:** I felt a bit disappointed with how the deaths of Tessa and Richie were handled, it was much too simple and clean. So I am rewriting it, haha. In my story though, I'm going to vary the time a immortal is down after their death to how major their injury was that killed them. Let's say a simple knife wound would heal quicker then multiple gunshots to the face as the face would have to reconstruct itself. The immortal may not look the same after their awakening or may have scars from the injury, but they will be healed.

**The Death of Richie Ryan**

Death wasn't something Richie thought of often; actually like any mortal, he tried to avoid it whenever possible. '_Was Duncan afraid of dying?'_ He wondered. But as he stood nose to nose with his own grim reaper he couldn't help but wonder why in the hell did dying have to hurt so much? As blood flowed freely from the open wounds in his body, he could feel Death's cold fingers tug at his soul, trying to separate it from his body- Or rather Death clawed, tore, and tried to rip his soul from his body, but with every gasping breath Richie desperately fought to keep it. He had to keep Tessa safe, even if it was too late for him, he had to make sure Tessa would be ok, Duncan would never forgive him and he would never forgive himself if anything happen to her.

How did it get to this point? He thought the danger had passed, but somehow he was blindsided. It was hard to remember exactly what happened, the memories were hard to hold on to, and then it came to him, the memory slowly formed in his mind.

It all started with a single gunshot.

Hearing the sound of the gun firing was almost as sickening as feeling the bullets rip through his stomach and chest. His heart instantly began racing in his chest, and his stomach felt sick.

The force from the bullets knocked Richie off his feet, and as he fell to the ground, pain was all he could feel. Terror began to overwhelm his senses but it couldn't block out the searing pain from the bullets or the feeling of his blood on his hand.

The fear he felt wasn't just for his life, it was for Tessa's too, he had to get up; he had to keep her from the punk with the gun. Slowly, with unsteady legs Richie tried to stand, the blood rushed from his head and his vision faded for a second, but he pushed through. He could feel his body starting to shut down, if he was going to be of any help, he'd have to do something now.

"Tessa, run!" Richie yelled, desperately trying to fill his lungs with air.

In the back of him mind, Richie could hear someone yelling at him, warning him to stay down, but he blocked them out, his eyes were fixed on the gun that was pointed at him. Tessa needed him and he wouldn't let her down again. He would rest when he was dead.

Two more shots were fired, but they missed Richie. Gathering the last bits of his energy, he lunged toward the gunman trying to give Tessa more time to get away when the gun's last bullet was fired.

Richie's head snapped back from the force of the bullet as it entered his skull. Surprisingly, there was no more pain and no more fear. He lay where he had fallen; eyes wide open staring up at the night's sky. He couldn't think any more, couldn't feel anything except Death's cold claws ripping open his chest in search for his soul.

**A/N:** Sorry for the short chapter, I tend not to write really long chapters, let me know what you think!


	2. 5 Bullets and a Broken Heart

**In the Hands of Fate**

Summary: Richie and Tessa's lives are slipping away, can they be saved or will Duncan be left alone?

**5 Bullets and a Broken Heart **

They weren't dead, at least not yet, but as the two ambulances raced down the road, Duncan couldn't help but think tonight he would lose a friend. The speeding vehicles couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. He was sure if they could just get to the hospital, the doctors would be able to save them, to save her. He'd give his immortality to her if it would save her.

God he couldn't lose her.

He looked at Tessa again, despite the efforts of the paramedic, the bullet wound in her stomach continued to bleed through the bandages. There was a chance she would make it the medic said, she could pull through and be just fine.

It was a small chance.

Duncan's eyes watered but steadily held Tessa's gaze, he knew right now she needed him to be her strength.

She opened her mouth and whispered his name, she wanted to tell him she loved him, that it was all going to be ok, but he put his hand on her check.

"You're going to be fine," he whispered. "I love you."

Tessa saw the tears fall down Duncan's face, she wanted to wipe them away but she couldn't find the strength to lift her arm. Instead he held her hand and stroked her face.

**I close my eyes  
>Only for a moment and the moment's gone<br>All my dreams  
>Pass before my eyes a curiosity<strong>

In the second ambulance Richie was losing his fight with Death, it was tearing him apart with its icy claws and slowly claiming his soul. Mindlessly he stared at the roof of the ambulance, his eyes unblinking, unseeing, and uncaring.

"Richie, come on stay with me Richie" the paramedic yelled as he began compressions, "Joe step on it, I'm losing him!"

Vaguely, Richie could hear someone calling his name and pressing on his chest, but it meant nothing. Death stood before him and began to scrape what was left of his soul from his body. He tried to push the beast away, but its icy body couldn't be moved. Why weren't McLeod and Tessa here? Why did he have to be alone for this?

"I'm going as fast as I can Dylan, we'll be there in two minutes" The driver responded as he maneuvered through traffic.

"This kid doesn't have one" the paramedic whispered as he grabbed the paddles to the defibrillator. "He's going into cardiac arrest!"

The paramedic placed the cold paddles on either side of Richie's chest and pressed the buttons. Electricity flowed through his body, but it had no effect.

The paramedic pressed the buttons again, but there was still no pulse.

Richie exhaled for the last time as he gave up the final pieces of his soul; he let Death take its prize, leaving him cold and hollow. What else could he do? He had no way of fighting off something as strong as death by himself, if only he had McLeod's sword he could have stood a chance.

He shouldn't have been surprised, before meeting Duncan and Tessa he was on his own, after they took him in he thought that would have changed, that he wouldn't have to be alone.

Nothing had changed, nothing at all.

**Dust in the wind  
>All they are is dust in the wind<strong>

The ambulances pulled up to the entrance of the ER, an awaiting doctor pulled open the doors and helped pull out Tessa. Duncan let go of her hand as they wheeled her into the hospital. He jumped out and began to follow but was cut off by another stretcher before he could get inside the building.

It was Richie; a paramedic was standing on the railing giving him CPR while a nurse put a mask over his face and began to squeeze an attached pump.

The two stretchers were rushed down the emergency room hallway. Duncan followed behind them, his eyes jumped from Tessa to Richie.

"Trauma rooms one and two" and nurse directed.

Doctors and nurses swarmed the stretchers gathering information and giving orders as they separated the two into different trauma rooms.

"We're going to need O negative blood in Trauma one and two!" A doctor called.

**Same old song  
>Just a drop of water in an endless sea<br>All we do  
>Crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see<strong>

"Clear!" The doctors shocked Richie's lifeless body.

It wasn't working.

Duncan stood in the hallway pacing from the window of Trauma One where they were working on Tessa to Trauma Two, where Richie was. He paused in front of the window of Trauma Two.

Richie had been shot three times, once in the head, chest, and stomach. His face was covered in blood as well as his shirt which had been torn down the middle to expose his chest. The doctors inserted a tube down his throat so they could breathe for him. They stuck him with a large needle to put adrenaline in his heart to get it pumping again.

It still wasn't working.

The flat line on the heart monitor sickened Duncan, he told the kid to stay put, he couldn't worry about keeping him out of danger and saving Tessa at the same it. If only he had listened, he wouldn't be lying on the table dying.

"How long has he been down?" The doctor asked.

'_No, you can't give up'_ Duncan thought to himself.

"23 minutes" a young nurse with wavy brown hair answered.

'_He can't die like this!'_ He screamed in his head.

"Call it."

'_He's just a kid!'_

"Time of death, 10:21 pm."

And just like that, it was over, the doctors pulled off their gloves and walked away. The young nurse eyed Duncan, she knew his pain all too well. Her dark brown eyes looked over the bloody young man on the table; she stepped out into the hallway with Duncan and gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll clean him up for you if you'd like to sit with him for a bit." She offered.

"Yeah," Duncan whispered as he numbly walked over to Trauma One, "that would be nice."

**Dust in the wind  
>All we are is dust in the wind<strong>

In Trauma One the doctors worked franticly to get the bleeding under control and to stabilize her heart rate.

Duncan closed his eyes and prayed, he was trying to barter with any god that would grant him his pleas. He wanted her to become immortal and they could spend the rest of eternity together.

"She's going into shock!" Someone yelled.

The heart rate monitor wailed as Tessa flat lined.

"Clear!"

"Hit her again!"

"Clear!"

"Still nothing."

'_Come on Tessa, fight!' _Duncan couldn't believe in one night he would lose both a lover and a friend.

And as the doctors call the time of death and walked away, Duncan had lost his ties to humanity.

As the doctors walked out of Trauma One they gave their sympathy to Duncan for his loss, one doctor tried to explain what happened but Duncan cut him off.

"Can I see her?" He asked hoarsely without ever taking his eyes off of her.

**Now don't hang on  
>Nothing lasts forever but the Earth and Sky<br>It slips away  
>And all your money won't another minute buy<br>**

Duncan knew one day their youth would fade, they would grow old and die. He knew he would be left alone some day, but it how could it be this soon, there were still so many more years to live, to be together.

Though her hand was still warm, the trauma room seemed so cold as he sat next to Tessa. She looked as though she was sleeping. Duncan knew she was at peace but his heart was broken in a million pieces. He kissed her hand gently and with love like he'd never felt for anyone.

The young nurse stood beside Duncan, her delicate hand resting on his shoulder a moment before she spoke.

"I'm going to bring in your friend now ok?" She asked.

He nodded.

Quietly she left and wheeled Richie into the small room, the tube used to help him breathe was gone. The blood that once covered his face was now wiped clean; even his hair had been washed and combed back. A small bandage above his right eye covered the hole and most of the damage caused by the bullet. A thin blanket was neatly pulled up over his chest and tucked under his arms.

"Is there anyone we can call?" She asked in a hushed tone.

Duncan looked at her for a moment, her eyes and gentle features spoke to her sincerity.

"No, there is no one else."

"If you need anything at all, I'll be outside."

He nodded again. "Thanks."

Duncan reached out and held Richie's hand; it was cool to the touch. It unnerved the seasoned immortal; while he had seen many deaths of many friends and family members, this loss seemed harder than any other.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

Duncan sat by their side in silence for a long while, he didn't want to leave them, but he knew he couldn't stay forever. Outside, the young nurse waited for the brokenhearted man to let her know he was ready.

**Dust in the wind  
>All we are is dust in the wind<strong>

**Everything is dust in the wind**

**A/N: **Well, the way everything is turning out looks as though there is going to be 2-3 more chapters, please please review and let me know what you think, good, bad or otherwise.**  
><strong>


	3. Terror in the Night

**Terror in the Night**

**Summary: **A new immortal almost loses their head when they awaken in a body bag at the morgue, but a helping a stranger interferes.

Silence was all there was in this place because the dead don't make a sound, so the morgue of Mercy Hospital was silent. And for the last 20 hours it housed two victims of a robbery, their bodies were kept at freezing temperatures to slow the rate of decay before they were buried. But in one of the many cold chambers, a life was rebeginning.

It all started with the smallest of sparks, one synapse fired, followed by another, followed by thousands then billions. Shattered bone grew back together, nerves reconnected, torn muscle repaired itself, and broken skin healed. With a gasp, once dead lungs violently filled with a rush of freezing air; a heart thought to be useless began to pump warm blood through frozen veins.

Heavy eyelids fluttered open but there was nothing to see, there was nothing but darkness. His chest continued to heave as his body demanded more oxygen to replace what was lost.

Life began again.

Through the cold Richie could vaguely feel a heavy bag of some kind resting on his face, and the more he focused on it, the more he felt the bag on his chest, abdomen, and legs. He weakly tried to lift his arms, which rested neatly at his sides, to feel around him; but found his body was not yet fully reanimated.

Slowly through the haze in his mind Richie realized he was naked, why was he naked? He screamed for help. His heart pounded faster in his chest when he couldn't remember how he got here. He screamed again.

As he panicked, Richie choked on the frigid air. His lungs burned with each cough.

Tessa. He was here to save Tessa, he couldn't forget that. Picturing her smile slowly claimed his nerves, but it couldn't keep out the cold. His body convulsed in fits of shivers in order to keep himself warm. But he slowly felt he was losing his battle against the cold. He closed his eyes, he felt so tired.

Death returned to steal his soul once again.

* * *

><p>He could feel the immortal's soul as it tried to revive the body, he smiled to himself. This was the third immortal that stumbled into his morgue this week and it would be the third head he would take this week, business was good.<p>

The middle aged man with messy hair studied the cold chambers; he paced back and forth, feeling for the tortured soul of the immortal inside. He ran his fingers across the chambers.

"Don't worry; I'll end your agony." He reassured.

He stopped in front of the door marked with a number three, his sword drawn and ready as he opened the door and pulled out the body. He silently unzipped the black body bag revealing a young man with curly orange hair in his early twenties. His skin was colorless, and he made no movement, by all appearances the boy looked dead, but the man knew better.

* * *

><p>Richie could feel warmth on his face, and somehow he knew he wasn't safe here. A deep rooted feeling told him he needed to get up and run. As he opened his eyes, he knew that the feeling wasn't wrong. A man stood over him, sword in hand. In a moment of panic seeing Richie awake sooner than he expected, the man brought the sword down but missed Richie's neck. Instead the sword cut deep into the young man's shoulder as he turned to the side to avoid the blow.<p>

Richie let out a cry as the sword split open his flesh and muscle then hit bone. He fumbled to get out of the body bag and clumsily fell to the floor. He scooted back until he reached the opposing wall trying to put space between him and the man with the sword.

"Who are you?" Richie yelled, "Why are you trying to kill me?"

The man straitened up and looked at the blood on his sword, "my name Carlyle Baxter and I want your head, immortal."

Richie's eyes widened. He tried to stand but his body was still tight, he eyed the door and made a run for it but was met with another blow by the sword, this time to his left thigh.

Richie screamed in agony.

"You could make this easier on yourself if you'd just stop fighting." Baxter said as he removed the blade from Richie's body.

Richie shook as pain shot down his back to his leg, he couldn't find the strength to fight back; Baxter pushed Richie on his back and raised his sword.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

With his full strength, Baxter brought the sword down to claim another head. Richie closed his eyes and waited for the end, but it didn't come. Instead when he opened his eyes, a young woman dressed in scrubs holding a black staff with silver designs stood between him and his attacker. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders and cascaded down her back.

"You break the rules girly" Baxter scowled.

"The rules state no Immortal may ever interfere with an Immortal duel in any way, but this is no duel." She retorted. "This is cowardice!"

The man growled as he pulled his sword back and tried to attack again, but the young woman deflected, sending sparks shooting from the weapons as they collided.

"Richie, get out of here now!" She said firmly.

"I have to…" he stumbled, "have to save Tessa."

"She's safe, just worry about getting out of here."

Richie slowly began to drag his body out of the small morgue and down the hallway as the two immortals continued to fight.

"You should worry about yourself girly; you're out of your league." Baxter grinned.

Inside the girl knew he was right, she was only 79 years old and taken only three heads in her lifetime, but she knew the pain felt by the new immortal's friend and hoped to reunite Richie with him.

As adrenaline flowed though Richie's body his stiff muscle became soft and stronger. It was only one flight of stairs to get up to the first floor, it was the hardest thing he'd ever done. Step by step he pulled his bloody body closed to the exit; he could still hear the clank of weapons behind him.

'Half way there' he told himself. His body shook with effort, with each movement the pain in his shoulder and thigh radiated through his body. In general Richie tried not to cry, but he didn't try to hold back the tears which fell down his face.

And just when he thought he couldn't go any farther, she was at his side. "Come on, I'll help you."

Her voice was smooth and calm, how could she be so calm? With some help Richie stood and made it out it out of the hospital into the night. The night air was cooler then he hoped it would be, but it was still warmer then the morgue. The young woman threw a blanket over his shoulders, it did little to warm him, but it covered his nakedness.

"Who are you?"

Richie studied the woman, she looked to be his age but there was a shimmer of wisdom in her eyes that was beyond her years. Her dark brown hair matched the color of her eyes; the slightest hint of lip gloss reflected the moonlight. Her features were understated, yet beautiful he thought.

"My name is Samantha" she said, "we must hurry now."

Samantha helped the shaking Richie to his feet and they limped down a small path through a wooded area to the employee parking lot. She fumbled for the car keys in her pocket as they were approached from behind.

Samantha turned and pushed Richie away from the path of Baxter's blade. She crouched on the ground, holding her staff with two hands.

"I hoped to avoid this situation," there was regret in her voice; "however you give me no choice but to fight you."

Samantha pulled the staff apart to reveal twin short swords which were hidden in the handle of the opposite sword. With a cry Samantha charged the older, more experienced immortal, this was going to be the fight of her life.

**A/N:** I think there will be only one more chapter instead of two to complete this story, the next chapter was the one I really wanted to write, these first few chapters were really just a lead up to the next Chapter.


	4. Duncan's Lament

**Duncan's Lament**

**Summary:** The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance; even an immortal experiences grief and Duncan is no different. But it is acceptance that eludes him in the darkest hours of the night.

Dreaming didn't come easily that night and while Duncan had been awake for 32 hours, getting to sleep was even harder. He sighed as he rolled over in the large bed he would no longer share with Tessa.

He felt empty, as though there were no soul in his chest, as though he'd never be happy again; this couldn't be real. He tried for so many years to keep her safe just to have her die like this, it didn't make any sense. It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough or that he lost a fight, it happened like a thief in the night. Why was he still here? Why couldn't he go with them?

Maybe they weren't really gone, that was all just a bad dream. In the morning he would wake up and she'd be sleeping peacefully next to him lost in her own dreams. He would reach over and hold her and tell her about his troubling dream and she would kiss it away from his memory, she would say she was still here, that she wasn't going anywhere. Everything would be fine again.

But Duncan knew this wasn't some nightmare and that Tessa and Richie weren't coming back.

There were funerals to plan, another lie to tell the police, and he knew he'd have to sell the shop, there were too many memories here, and besides, he wasn't an artist like Tessa; he couldn't keep this place going. The shop ran well with three people and Richie was really starting to get the hang of it.

He sighed again.

'_Stupid kid'_, he thought, _'you should have stayed home.'_ Richie knew better then to pull any stunts when someone was pointing a gun at him, but there was a piece inside of Duncan that couldn't help but think the kid tried to take the gun away, that he tried to be a hero and got shot three times for his trouble. He got Tessa shot too.

Duncan angrily rolled out of bed. He didn't want to believe that theory, he didn't even think it up, he overheard the police theorizing. The idea stuck in his head; why else would Richie have been shot so many times at close range? He ran his fingers through his long hair and walked out of the room, he needed a drink.

But it wasn't all Richie's fault, it was his too. He should have walked Tessa to the car and saw her off or just taken her home himself. He was her protector, keeping her safe was his job; it was far too much to ask of Richie. Duncan couldn't forget he was the reason they were there, every time they had been put in danger, it was because someone was looking for his head.

Duncan opened the refrigerator and after a short debate pulled out a bottle of wine. He looked at the label; he had shared this bottle of wine with Tessa. Anger boiled up inside of him, anger that she died, anger that Richie let her, that he couldn't protect her.

Duncan screamed in anguish as he threw the bottle of wine across the kitchen, it hit the wall and shattered. His anger wasn't gone, he wanted to break, he wanted to kill, he wanted to stop feeling the pain. 400 years didn't prepare him for this, and he knew another 400 wouldn't make it any easier.

Duncan dropped to his knees and cried; he felt no shame in the pain he felt. He would give anything to have them back; he would give up his immortal soul, he would give so much more.

If only he had known the danger. If only she would come back to life, he would give anything. If only he could have saved her. If only she hadn't died.

If only…

But she wasn't coming back, and he was left alone, lying on the cold wood floor. He was alone, how could he have gone through all of this just to be left alone. The apartment seemed so empty and uninviting; although the walls were covered with Tessa's artwork and Richie's jacket still lay over his chair at the dining table, Duncan was alone.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" Duncan cried, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you!"

Finally Duncan drifted off to sleep; his dreams were a haze of fear and confusion. Screams and gun shots filled his head, his heart raced, he dreamt of the hospital. He awoke in a dark place; he felt danger around him, he heard screams. A name filled his head, it burned until it was all he could think of, the name was said with love, the name had power.

'_Tessa.'_

Duncan's eyes snapped open, his body was covered in sweat, he could still feel the immortal's fear. He had to get to where she was, she was in danger. His heart skipped a beat, could it be she was still alive?

Duncan threw on his coat, snatched his keys, grabbed his sword and rushed out of the apartment and into the night. The frigid air chilled Duncan to his core, but he didn't care, he had to get to Tessa.

**A/N:** So after a flood of wonderful reviews, I felt good about spending more time on this story and will finish it the way I had intended, with two chapters rather then one. So thank you to my reviewers, this one is for you!


	5. Healing in all its Forms

**Healing in all its Forms**

**Summary:** "Duncan, never forget a broken heart can never truly be whole again with even the smallest piece missing."

The clank of swords continued as Richie, using his good arm, dragged the rest of his limp body away from the hospital. Slowly he put distance between the dueling immortals and himself.

Numbly he reached his arm out but couldn't find the strength to go any further, his breathe was labored with the effort of dragging his broken body. His vision was starting to blur and the damp earth below him looked as though it was shifting. The loss of blood was taking its toll, as he lay face down on the ground resting he noticed the sound of silence. The clash of sword had stopped but as he listened he could hear was the sound of leaves crunching below someone's shoes. He opened his eyes, but couldn't bring himself to look around.

"Samantha?" He called weakly, "Mac, are you there? Help."

Richie shivered; the ground was almost frozen from the night air and the sheet covered in mud and blood Samantha had put over his shoulders did nothing to keep out the cold.

"Mac!"

"There you are" a voice responded.

Richie looked up to see the silhouette of a man standing before him; had Duncan finally come for him? But when his eyes focused on the figure that stood before him, his heart stopped. Standing before him was the man from the morgue; his sword was drawn and at the ready.

"Get away!" Richie tried to move away from the man but the sheet wrapped around his legs, constricting his movement.

Richie's eyes widen, the blood covered sword shone in the moonlight. Suddenly the man stopped his attack and whirled around just in time to block an attack from behind. Samantha continued her assault on him, she moved like lightning as she pushed Baxter away from Richie. Her technique however, was not perfect and her opponent noticed; the blades of her short swords weren't more than a foot in length each which caused her to have to fight in a very close proximity to her opponent.

Baxter thrust his long sword at her midsection; Samantha jumped back and missed her footing. She tumbled back and landed with a thud, dropping one of her swords. He wasted no time as he turned to Richie and raised his sword.

Richie closed his eyes and took a breath, what did it matter, nothing did any more, he watched the horror on Samantha's face. He could see blood on her shoulder, she fought so hard to save him, he didn't understand it, she didn't know him. Would Duncan even care, he doubted it, he had Tessa.

Samantha got to her feet, gathered her dropped sword and ran to her opponent for one final attempt to save Richie.

Richie closed his eyes.

"My fight isn't with you; now get out of my way!" Richie could hear the anger in Baxter's voice.

"If you mean to do him harm, you better be ready to fight me" an angrier voice threatened.

Could it be? Richie knew that voice all too well, he couldn't believe it, he couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. He was no longer alone.

With two expert slashes of his sword, Duncan unarmed his opponent by cutting off his hand at the wrist and beheaded him.

An unnatural wind whipped around the immortals, dark clouds circled above them as bolts of lightning struck Duncan. His body tensed as electricity flowed through his veins. Memories, skill, and wisdom were granted to Duncan from the slain immortal. He relaxed when the quickening ended.

Duncan rushed to Richie's side and pulled him into a sitting position by his shoulders.

"Tessa" Richie whispered, "gotta save Tessa."

"Where is she Richie, where's Tessa?" Duncan was frantic, had his pleas paid off, was she an immortal?

"Tess…" Richie's eyes rolled back into his head.

Duncan shook Richie, "Where is she?"

Richie screamed in pain as Duncan's fingers dug into his wound, the older immortal instantly softened his grip, he hadn't noticed in the dim lighting that Richie had been injured.

"I don't know" Richie choked over his words as he began to relive the night before, "gun! Tessa, run!"

"Hush" Duncan pulled Richie to his chest, the young immortal convulsed in his arms from the cold "damn it, Richie, I need you to listen to me, do you know where Tessa is?"

"Please don't leave me." Richie begged.

Duncan looked at Samantha, her swords were still drawn, "have you seen a woman, in her late 30's, curly blonde hair, a little shorter than me?"

"You should concern yourself with your friend here." She said looking around, if there were any immortals in the area they would have seen signs of the quickening, they would be here soon. "It's not safe here."

The woman's answer didn't sit well with Duncan.

"Richie, I have to find her" Duncan began to lay Richie down the kid would be no help in his current state.

"She didn't wake up" she said stepping closer, Duncan focused on the woman's face, he knew those deep brown eyes, that silky dark hair that borderlined on unruly. She was as calm as she was in the Emergency Room.

"What do you mean? He's saying she's alive."

"She's not, she's dead, I only let him believe she was alive to get his mind on protecting his life."

Richie's chest tightened it didn't feel like he was getting oxygen, he began to gasp for air. Tessa was dead, but how? No, that's not what happened, he saved her, she was safe, he gave up his life for her. In a flash the memories came to him as he began to remember more clearly what happened the night before.

* * *

><p>"Come on, let's go" Richie said calmly to Tessa as he placed a sweeter around her shoulder.<p>

"Nice car yo" Richie turned to see this punk kid a little younger then himself pointing a gun at Tessa. Richie stepped in front of her, his arms raised. "How about you give me the keys?"

"Sure, just stay calm here," he pulled the keys from his pocket. "Here, take them, I don't want any trouble."

"I want your wallets too" Richie wanted to wipe the smile off the kid's face, but he knew once he got what he wanted, he'd be gone. "Yo girly, you got any jewelry?"

Tessa and Richie gave the punk all of their possessions.

"That's it, there's nothing else." Richie said calmly, "just take it and go."

Then there was a sound, it was loud like a cat knocking over a metal trashcan, it startled the kid who fired two shots. The first shot tore through Richie's chest and the second buried it's self in his gut. He fell back as Tessa watched in horror, she screamed his name. The kid turned his gun at her.

"No please don't" she begged.

The kid started to squeeze the trigger as Richie clumsily began to stand.

"What are you doing man, stay down!" The kid didn't expect that anyone would be able to get up after being shot twice, he was afraid.

"Tessa, run!" Richie bellowed with his last breaths.

The kid pointed the gun at Tessa and fired twice as she tried to flee, the first shot missed, but the second hit her in the in the lower back and exited through her abdomen. She stumbled a few more steps before she collapsed.

Richie made a last ditch effort to try and save Tessa, he charged the kid, who fired his last round into Richie's forehead.

* * *

><p>Richie began to hyperventilate as Duncan held him tighter. It all made sense, Duncan was angry at him, that's why he wasn't with him for his last moments. Duncan hated him.<p>

"I… I let her die" Richie looked into Duncan's eyes. "It's my fault, I couldn't get up in time to stop the bullet, oh God, he wouldn't stop shooting!"

"Richie…"

"No, I told him to leave, gave him everything he asked and he still shot us." Richie buried his face in Duncan's chest as he cried hysterically. "I'm so sorry, Tessa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Duncan held the kid even tighter as if he was holding him together, tears welded up in his eyes, he neglected Richie, he let Tessa's death over shadow his, he let himself believe it was Richie's fault; he blamed Richie for it all. But that burden wasn't his; it rested solely on Duncan's shoulders. When he came upon the scene the previous night all he could think about was Tessa, sure he glanced at Richie but didn't go over to him, he didn't even check to see if he was still alive.

"It's not your fault" Duncan repeated until he thought it sunk into the kid's head. "You did your best; I should have been there for you two."

"Please don't let me die alone! It's so cold." Richie clutched at his chest, "I don't wanna be alone for this."

"I'm not going anywhere; I'll be here when you wake up," Duncan said, "just don't fight it, it'll pass quickly."

Richie closed his eyes and after a few minutes his breathing began to slow until it gradually stopped. Duncan could feel the kid in his arms relax completely, he was gone for now.

"Thank you." Duncan said simply as he turned to Samantha, "for everything, I almost lost him again."

She shook her head, "you don't need to say anything, I know what it's like to lose everything that holds you to your last bits of humanity. I'm glad you got even a small piece of happiness back."

He lifted Richie into his arms and walked away, "I am too" he said before vanishing into the night.

Samantha smiled.

* * *

><p>The black car rumbled down the highway and through the quant town until it reached the small art and antique shop Duncan parked in his normal spot. He turned off the car and pulled the key out of the ignition. The wound on Richie's shoulder already looked better but it would still be awhile before he would wake up.<p>

As he pulled the kid out of the passenger seat Duncan was sickened by how cold Richie's skin felt and how still he was, an image of Richie lying on the ER bed bloody and broken flashed though his mind. He tried to push the thought aside as he carried the boy upstairs, he had to wash the blood off, he couldn't take seeing any more of the kid's blood.

As he placed the kid into the tub, Duncan pulled away the soiled sheet that was wrapped around his body. Grabbing a washcloth and antiseptic soap he looked over Richie's body and the damage done by the two foes he should never had to face. Starting with the deep gash across his shoulder he carefully cleaned the healing wounds, the water quickly turned a shade of reddish brown. The memories from the defeated immortal ran through his mind, the memories that were now his. He could see everything that happened that night in the morgue as if he had been there himself.

He then turned his attention to the large cut which traveled from the outside of his left knee to just under his butt. The scars from the gunshots were still very visible; he wished he could wash them away.

When he was done, Duncan dried Richie's body and put him in his bed, making sure to put an extra blanket over him to keep out the cold.

Duncan moved a chair next to the bed and settled in, he looked at Richie. His grief for Tessa caused him to lose sight of a friend; he swore to never allow himself to fail to remember how much the kid meant to him.

"Duncan, never forget a broken heart can never truly be whole again with even the smallest piece missing." Samantha's parting words stuck in his head, he only knew the kid for a relatively short while, but he managed to become a big part of him.

Duncan sighed; the darkest hours of the night had passed and even though there were a million things to do, he would now have to add cleaning the bathroom and his car to the list, nothing could move him from Richie's side until woke up, just as he promised.

**A/N: **Thank you for checking out my story, let me know what you think.


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